There are few things that work as well
for a business as a strong entrepreneurial network. It helps you to build a
valuable relationship with other entrepreneurs and business owners.
When you’re facing obstacles and
challenges, having a strong entrepreneurial group which has diversity in terms
of industries, experience levels and age can prove to be extremely helpful.
Following are some ways in which you can
build a good entrepreneurial network:
Getting Involved in Local Business Community
There are close to 6 million small
businesses in the United Kingdom and this means there are more fellow
entrepreneurs than you may imagine there to be. You can obtain details of local
meetup events on the internet which cater to small business owners and
entrepreneurs.
If you feel that introducing yourself to
an owner can be the beginning of a potential beneficial relationship you
shouldn’t hesitate to take the first step. Arming yourself with pastry and
coffee make for a warm welcome.
Being Active in Online Communities
A nice way to connect and engage with
entrepreneurs globally is to be a part of an online community. It is an
effective way to share insights, ask questions and develop lasting business
relationships.
Your activity will be taken note of by
other entrepreneurs and this can lead to word-of-mouth business referrals and
help you put in place a stronger network.
It may be difficult to get in touch with
a local online community for businesses but with a little bit of research you
may be able to find one that is suitable for your requirements.
Talk to As Many As Possible
We come across new people in our life on
an almost daily basis. If you think about it each new person that you meet is a
potential new contact. Whether you’re sitting in an airport lounge while you
wait for your flight or out in the town for an happy hour, there is always the
scope to meet a potential contact or a person who knows one.
It will not be difficult to initiate a conversation
with a complete stranger once you become comfortable. Unless you put yourself
out there there is no way to know who you may be sitting or standing next to.
Even casual introductions in non professional settings can kick start a
valuable business relationship.
Actively Using Social Media
Few social networks that can prove to be
beneficial for entrepreneurs are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Each of these networks serve as a platform to network and connect with other
entrepreneurs.
Besides being a great place to grow your
business network they also provide an opportunity to promote your business in a
way which is not very promotional in nature. You can use social media to
network with those entrepreneurs that are outside your local market.
Regardless of the status of the
entrepreneur you wish to connect with, social media is a level ground bringing
within your reach even the most accomplished ones of the lot. Getting a
response to your email can be difficult but a posting a tweet to their account
can be harder for them to ignore.
Continuous Engagement with Your Network
Continuously engaging with your network
and following up on your conversations is as important as broadening your
network. You should initiate communication within the first 24 hours of getting
in touch with a new person but the effort shouldn’t end there.
Creating a private Facebook group or an
email list for your network is a great way to stay in touch and be on an
individual’s radar. If you take the necessary efforts, you will almost
certainly be the first person that the individual will think of when a suitable
opportunity comes along.
You can compile details of what you have
been up to in an email with notes and news and send it to your network every
month. It will hardly consume a few minutes of your time and will make your
network strong.
Just like strengthening
your entrepreneurial network is an effort that you must take for the larger
good of your business you must also insure your business and personal assets by
writing a Will using a free
Will kit
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